The New Nation - Internet Edition

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

Unauthorised structures on Begunbari canal in the city have to be removed and allotment of plots in the area must be cancelled to achieve the goals of Tk 1, 474-crore Begunbari-Hatirjheel Integrated Development Project, said experts.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the project October last year with a view to restoring water flow of the canal for drainage and easing east-west traffic load in Dhaka city by constructing a ring-road. Under the project, Begunbari canal will be dredged to mitigate the water-logging in Dhaka city.

Prof Jamilur Reza Chowdhury, VC of BRAC University and also civil engineer and traffic planning expert, said, "There should not be any obstacle within the canal area if the project is aimed at serving drainage purposes restoring the Begunbari canal and Hatirjheel catchment areas."

An expert team of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) led by Prof Mujibur Rahman has been employed to carry out a comprehensive feasibility study for detailed designing of the project. The team is ready to start the study and it may take little more than six months to complete.

Prof Mujibur Rahman said, "Our priority in the detailed drainage study would be to ensure drainage facility and adequate flow of storm water. In case we find any structure in the channel that obstructs the drainage flow, we will recommend its removal."

The Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan (DMDP) earmarks the Begunbari canal as a natural canal and a designated flood flow zone, prohibiting any change to its character.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has constructed a 15-storey commercial building on the Begunbari canal in the city area without obtaining design approval from the authorities.

The previous government allotted four plots to the Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), Hotel Hilton (Millennium Holding Ltd) and International Arbitration Centre in violation of environment and wetland conservation related laws.

It had also leased out eight large plots in the Bugunbari canal including four for CNG filling stations, not only in violation of the master plan of Dhaka city but also bending Bangladesh Railway's land management rules of 2006, sources said.

The government has cancelled plot allotments in favour of the BTMA and International Arbitration Centre. But it is yet to cancel allotments to FBCCI and Hotel Hilton, according to the Bangladesh Railway authority.

The then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone of the 15-storey high-rise on November 28, 1998 while another former Premier Khaleda Zia inaugurated the complete building on October 8, 2006.

KAM Haroon, Chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) said, "The BGMEA building is illegal, as it has not obtained design approval as of today. We will act as per recommendations of the BUET expert team."

Architect Mubasshar Hussain, President of the Institute of Architects Bangladesh (IAB) said, "It is the duty of Prime Minister's Office (now Chief Adviser's Office) to check legality and authenticity of an establishment before the PM or Chief Adviser inaugurates it."

The same team led by Prof Mujibur Rahman carried out a similar survey in 2004, the final report of which was submitted in 2005, allowing a proposed 13-acre development scheme of the RAJUK on the Begunbari canal and the entire stretch of Hatirjheel.

The RAJUK board at a meeting on July 2003 instructed BGMEA to consult with the BUET expert team and obtain clearance for its 15-storey building, which BGMEA didn't.

Prof Rahman said, "A structure like BGMEA building is 'not compatible' with the idea of developing and conserving the Begunbari canal as a sewer facility. This time, we will be all the more focused on ensuring environmental and drainage aspects of the Begunbari canal. In fact, we just identified the building in our topographic survey as it was already in place as an existing structure."

A BGMEA official said that they had started the construction before obtaining design approval thinking they would certainly get the approval. But he agreed that rules-wise it had been an unauthorised work. "We should have constructed the building only after having obtained the approval," he said.